NANOWRIMO - national novel writing month
by BeeLivesHere
Summary: This is my (late) nanowrimo. I have no hope of finishing this. BUUUUT lets be hopeful and pray hard and i will finish this... maybe. So I have to write a 50 000 word novel by the end of november. This means 2778 words a day. Expect lots of spelling mistakes and plot holes. Maybe it'll be easier when i don't have to think up characters or places?
1. Chapter 1

AN: The canon has just gone out the window on this one.

Draco tapped his wand against his hand. He was alone in the common room. The rest had run to the courtyard, eagerly awaiting the new arrivals. It made draco kinda sick. The way they all got so _excited_, as if there was something to be proud of, to admire.

Well, as far as Draco, and Draco's father was concerned, it was barely magic. It wasn't special, it wasn't powerful. Although it might offer some sort of amusement value, like a circus act, or a freak show. Yes, freaks, that's what they were. They weren't wizards, and if they weren't wizards they were as low as muggles. Not to be trusted. Then again Draco might join the others just as to laugh at them. Or maybe find something out about this magic, you know, curiosity for curiosity's sake.

His father surely couldn't have meant for him to just sit down here alone. It looked like he was sulking, which he wasn't, of course. Just because the others felt the allure of the strange more pulling than their loyalty to him as a friend, did not mean he was sulking. Just because he was sat all by himself- _oh for the love of _Draco thought as he stood up. There was no way he was being as sad and pathetic as to sit alone in the dungeons doing nothing.

He nearly ran out of the common room wondering if he was going to be late, if they had already arrived and been escorted inside the castle. Maybe he'd bump into them, and then he'd walk past and not even glance in their direction. _Think they're so special_. That'd show them just exactly how much he cared about their "special abilities".

He took the steps two at a time, clenching his wand in his fist. He came to the entrance hall and slowed right down to a casual walk, stuffing his hands in his pockets, and setting his face to casual indifference with a hint of "I could really be doing something better right now".

The massive doors, usually closed or ajar, were swung wide open as hundreds of students milled in and out filling up the entrance hall, trying to squeeze through to the entrance courtyard to get a good view. _Pathetic really_ Draco thought as he sauntered towards his friends, easily clearing a space through the younger students, and some of the older ones. The younger ones were just afraid of him for him, as for the others, well, it's not always bad to be a Malfoy.

His friends had managed to find a space at the edge of the courtyard looking right over the black lake. Draco leant against the wall with his back against the open air as he waited for them to notice him.

"Ah, you made it!" Crabbe tapped his shoulder and continued staring at the sky. The others exchanged pleased looks with him. He tried to return them. Pansy took her normal place beside Draco. He didn't look at her. It was... complicated with Pansy. She was a pure-blood, he was a pure-blood. Their parents were friends. They were both rich. They were the most intimidating, and both natural leaders. People expected them to be a couple.

Draco for the most part went with the flow. It wasn't that he disliked Pansy. Or maybe he did. Or maybe it was the fact that it felt like one morning he'd woken up, and she'd just assumed they were going out, or maybe that his parents and her parents were so goddamn pleased when they were together, he didn't really know for sure what it was, but he did not want to go out with Pansy Parkinson. He did want her for a girlfriend. She was clingy and desperate, and hey there are some good reasons why just there. In fact the more he let himself think about it, the more he knew exactly the reasons and the reasons behind the reasons that he didn't like Pansy.

She linked arms with him. He repressed a sigh. He scanned the crowd ahead of him; watching the students getting more excited, some getting bored, all chatting in circles. And then he spotted him; Harry potter. His mud blood and blood-traitor friends were all sitting and laughing together. Draco still bore the resentment of one of their first encounters. Just as well, seeing as he turned out to be a Gryffindor. Draco sneered and turned to look out over the lake so as to avoid looking at that group.

He looked at his own group. He had good friends. Crabbe and Goyle were as loyal to him as their father's were to his, and Pansy, well it was no secret she adored Draco. He turned his head to scan the crowd once more. Sure maybe there was fear, even respect. But nothing like what Harry seemed to have with, well, everyone. Envy burned at the back of Draco's throat. Famous Harry Potter. Beloved Harry Potter.

Just as he turned back he heard someone shout out

"There! There in the sky!" fingers started pointing and people gasped. There was about 3 seconds of hushed silence, as the group watched the giant sky bison fly out of the clouds. Cheers soon went up. Students waved. From Draco the bison received only a glance. Pansy shrieked in Draco's ear and he instinctively flinched.

"Sorry," Pansy said sheepishly. Then, in an obvious attempt to imitate Draco, she sighed and pulled a bored expression over her face. Now how can you tell someone so obviously devoted to you to go away?

The students kept on cheering noisily even as the bison landed near the games-keepers hut, out of sight of all of those in the courtyard. Then everyone was ushered back into school.

"Well, that was fun." Draco put at his friends. Feeling superior. Obviously they had thought they would get to see this magic first hand. Some amazing display of pyrotechnics or ice sculpting. Draco had known better. He'd told them so before they'd left. They others looked down cast. But it was in Draco's nature to gloat. "I mean the way that the tiny dot in the sky moved in, and then out of sight. Incredible. I'm so glad we managed to see that."

"Alright Draco, we get it." a tired Goyle complained.

"No, I don't think you do get it." Draco turned to face him. He dug a finger in Goyle's chest. "I told you to stay. You didn't listen. You deserted me." Even with the size difference Goyle looked visibly frightened. "You thought you knew better. But you didn't." He laughed. "You never do. Now tell me the words I need to hear." Goyle looked confused. He was never that bright, "Tell me I'm always right."

"Oh, oh, you're always right, Draco." Goyle said. Draco thought he looked like a puppy being told off; a big bulldog puppy, but puppy nonetheless. Being in charge wasn't about brawn. It was about presence. Pansy once again tried to attach herself to Draco. He put an arm around her, inwardly sighing as they walked into the great hall for lunch.

AN: Ah. It's so late. I'm so tired. I must get up early and other excuses. Not a bad start. Not a great start 1,195 words done 48,805 words to go.


	2. Chapter 2

Leading the group into the great hall Draco made a bee line for the Slytherin table. The others arranged themselves around him. Obviously Pansy was as close as humanly possible. Millicent sat opposite him. Now she was cool. She didn't care whether Draco liked her or not. Well at least she didn't pour herself over him. As he was accustomed to Draco did some "people watching". Looking around

"-weren't you Draco?" Draco looked stunned and turned to look at Pansy. He'd missed the first half of the sentence.

"What?" he said, obvious disdain in his voice.

"You were telling me about how you were going to Peru,"

"Yeah." Pansy looked like she wanted him to say more "I am." It was all he could say, what more did she want? She sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Boys," she said with a smile, over the table to Millicent. 'Boys'? He was her boy. He fell under that term, to such an extent that she felt like she had gathered enough experience about 'boys' to roll her eyes. What did she want from him? It's not like they were even going out, but Draco still felt like he had to treat her like a girlfriend. And when was it ok for her to roll her eyes at him?

He turned his eyes to the clock above the teachers' heads. Lunch should be there in 10 minutes. The house elves at the school were very efficient and organized. They probably received a lot better treatment than Dobby. Then again dobby had proven himself psychotic with his self punishing. Or was that something his dad had instilled in him?

Draco let the conversation flow around him, not really part of the room, as he pondered the pros and cons of house elf treatment. Obviously they worked better and harder, more efficiently when they worked out of loyalty than fear. They respected their owners. Draco wondered if dobby respected them. He should. They were important, and he was a mere house elf. But on the other hand, it was a gruesome business. Draco still had memories of walking in the kitchen to find Dobby repeatedly trapping his head in the oven on his father's command. He was very young. It was disturbing. Draco had grown up with Dobby around, and he knew Dobby cleaned up after him, but he didn't then realise what Dobby was. He thought he looked somewhat human-like, and, especially seeing as he was as small as Draco, had a lot of empathy for him. Ha. Like that excuse of an Elf deserved empathy.

"Draco!" Pansy practically shouted in his ear, she laughed. "You were completely spaced out." _Yes. Well done. Have five house points. _She laughed again "You're so adorable sometimes." Alright that was it. He was many things. Adorable he was not.

"Excuse me," Draco said to Pansy as he got up. He had planned to move somewhere else when it dawned on him, he didn't have anyone else to sit next to. Oh well. He would skip lunch rather than spend any more time with her, or well he wouldn't but he'd already stood up now, no going back. Luckily he was forced to sit back down again by Professor McGonagall.

"Mr Malfoy," She said in her accented voice, Draco turned coolly to look at her. He was getting taller. He didn't need to look up anymore. Nonetheless she still inspired fear in him. Much like he did to Crabbe or Goyle he mused. But he kept his composure, unlike Crabbe and Goyle, he stayed calm, acting as if they were equal rather than the puppy act the boys put on. "Our guests will be arriving momentarily, now I know it's very polite to stand up when someone of significance enters the room, but I assure you it won't be necessary." She looked down her nose at him over her glasses. Obviously hinting he should seat himself, and not leave until they guests had been made welcome.

"Of course, professor." He said with his most charming smile, turning and sitting back down with his friends, and Pansy. McGonagall herself however left the hall at a quick pace. Once McGonagall was out of earshot the teacher bashing began. Wisps of conversation flowed about how unfair that was, and who did she think she was, and how dare she talk to him like that. Draco didn't say a word. He guessed he wasn't in a particularly chatty mood. And although it was nice to have those guys on his side, Draco didn't feel much like a side needed to be taken. It got him thinking about hierarchy and respect all over again.

This time it was not Pansy but Dumbledore who awoke Draco from his reverie. All heads swivelled to the front and Draco guessed it must be pretty frightening to be the leader, the most respected, and feared, the tip top of the hierarchy. Although Dumbledore didn't seem put off by having to speak to so many people. He never had before. _Must come from practice,_ Draco thought.

"Good morning students. As we all settle with the start new school year, and the arrival of the first years just two weeks ago, we must now prepare for one more new arrival. As I'm sure many of you have already heard this year, we are receiving a special visit from some who come from very far away. They practice an altogether different type of magic. One from which we hope to learn a lot from, and maybe teach a few of our own tricks." Dumbledore winked. Draco wanted to say he was already bored of Dumbledore's speech, but the new people, whether he liked it or not, intrigued him.

"As they will be staying with us for quite some time, I think it fair we give them a proper school welcome." Draco assumed he meant singing the school anthem all to your own tunes. Crabbe and Goyle, obviously thinking the same thing, were gearing up to do there "spoken" version of the song, which basically meant shouting so loud you couldn't understand what they were saying. Turns out they were wrong, in part.

The doors opened loudly, Draco hadn't even noticed they'd been shut, and professor McGonagall walked through the middle of the hall followed by a small group of teenagers. It looked like they were being sorted. This meant they were being treated like first years. Draco pretended to stifle a laugh

They all looked different degrees of self-conscious. Everyone was silent, staring at the curiosity. Draco thought on it a while. At first he thought that it wasn't Dumbledore's finest move to put their "honoured guests" on the spot like this. But then again everybody in the room, including the tiny first years had done this. It was a rite of passage.

Firstly a girl, she looked about 15, Draco forgot the names almost instantly, she had dark skin and long wavy brown hair. Dressed in blue Draco guessed her "element" was water. Each of these guests claimed to be "masters" of individual elements, using a technique called "bending" they could move these elements with their movements. No need for a wand.

She sat down on the stool. And although she tried to look proud, and she did look somewhat fearsome, Draco could see the flush in her cheeks indicating anxiety. McGonagall placed the hat on her head and it fell over her eyes as per. The sorting hat sure took its time figuring this one out. Eventually came out with its trade-mark bellow,

"RAVENCLAW!"

McGonagall pulled the sorting hat off of her head, and the girl kept her expression stony, if relieved, as the Ravenclaw table cheered. Draco could see she didn't know where to go. McGonagall indicated towards the Ravenclaw table and the girl walked imperiously towards it and sat down, with the first years. Draco cringed. It wasn't as if she could sit anywhere else, he understood, and tomorrow she'd be sitting with people her own age. But to have to sit with the first years when you were 15, that was painfully embarrassing. She kept up the air of royalty though. Draco guessed she was gonna be a pain in the butt.

The second one to go up was probably the most strange. A boy about 13-14? Completely bald head and bright orange clothing. Not to mention the blue arrow tattoos going over said bald head. Draco couldn't guess the element. He had a goofy grin and looked like he was containing nervous laughter. The hat went on and after a second or two,

"HUFFLEPUFF!"

The Hufflepuff table went crazy. _Shame they wouldn't get to sit next to each other_ Draco thought as arrow boy went to sit on the end of the Hufflepuff table. He would be equally irritating as the girl, Draco guessed.

A pale girl with glassy eyes walked up. Wearing green Draco thought earth. She looked genuinely bored. Then Draco saw it. Her eyes were glassy because she was blind. Or was she? She found her way up the steps without faltering once. He thought he actually saw her roll her eyes as if she was too good for this. The hat was lowered, and instantaneously,

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Draco could have guessed, pompous and arrogant. Thinking she's better than the school and its customs. She walked down to her table as they cheered loudly. A hush fell back over the students, except for one small pocket of noise. The arrow boy was laughing loudly with the Hufflepuff first years. McGonagall looked at them pointedly. They hushed up almost instantly. That was the power Draco aspired to. Silence with one look. He knew a handful of teachers that had mastered it, his father also. He almost had it. At least with a few Slytherins.

There were only two older boys left, Draco guessed aged about 17. The first one to walk up looked a lot like the water girl and was also clad in blue. He seemed confident, until he tripped on the step up to the stool. He tried to shake it off by laughing along with the titters that coursed muffled through the room. Until McGonagall made it clear she was proceeding.

"GRYFF-GRYFFINDOR!"

Well. That had never happened before, as far as Draco knew. He narrowed his eyes. The sorting hat second guessed itself. What did that say about the kid? It soon became clear that this water boy was a total goofball. He sat down next the blind girl smirking like an idiot, said something he obviously thought was funny until the blind girl punched him in the arm. Draco was starting to like that girl

And then last but not least the pale older boy. Wearing red he must have been fire, and therefore the arrow boy had to be air, the only element left. He walked calmly. He turned to face the students, expression forever even. A semi-stifled gasp leaked from the students. The boy had one perfectly normal eye on his right side, but the left was surrounded by bright red and pink scar tissue.

The sorting hat was let down and the whole hall fell into silence. Draco wondered where he would go. It took 12 seconds exactly to decide.

"SLYTHERIN!"

The Slytherin table cheered. Draco even brought himself to clap. If any of them had to be in his house, he was glad it was scar boy.

McGonagall picked up the stool and moved them to the side of the hall before moving back to her normal seat next to Dumbledore. Dumbledore stood at his gilded owl podium once more.

"With our new students properely inducted, let our feast begin," And then the food appeared on the tables, Draco watched the boy with the scar, he looked genuinely surprised. Luckily for him and all the others, excluding the arrow boy, who was having a whale of a time with the kids 3 years younger than him, the prefects of each house walked over to the newbies and introduced themselves and invited them lower down the table. Which raised another question.

"Did Dumbledore say, _new students_?" Draco ventured to his friends.

"Yep." Crabbe answered oblivious to Draco's line of thought "why?" he asked stuffing his face with sausage.

"I thought they were just guests, they can't be students. They're not magical, at least they're not witches and wizards. They might as induct muggles who've learned how to hide a coin up their sleeves and called it magic." The others nodded in agreement. But they didn't seem as impassioned as Draco was.

The prefect was leading the scar boy over to Draco and his friends. He must be 17 then. Draco instinctively stood up to shake the boys hand.

"Welcome to Hogwarts, I'm Draco Malfoy." He extended his hand. The boy looked confused, and stared at the outstretched hand. The boy then mirrored Draco's movement as exactly as he could.

"Thank you very much Dracomalfoy, I'm Prince Zuko. I'm sorry this greeting is unfamialar to me." Draco smirked, bemused, but kept his cool.

"Let me show you, leave your hand there," Draco then put he left hand over Zuko's and shook it. "Although it is typically the right hand." Zuko nodded, taking in every word with calm control. "Sit?" Draco motioned for him to sit in his old space, and then for Crabbe and Goyle to move up, putting Zuko between him and Pansy. Looking at his chiselled cheek bones, obviously extremely athletic body, and the way all the girls' heads turned as he walked Zuko here was very attractive, and a Prince no less. Hopefully Pansy would be impressed enough to give him some of her plenteous attention. It was going OK, until Crabbe decided to speak. Draco inwardly sighed.

"So, you seriously didn't know what a handshake was?" He said laughing, a little bit of sausage flew out of his mouth as if to back up the stupidity of his statement. Draco fixed Crabbe with a stare. He turned back to Zuko.

"How do you greet strangers where you come from?" Draco offered as a way out of the culturally ignorant statement.

"We salute like this, and bow" Zuko curled one fist and put the other hand stock straight at the tip, demonstrating the hand movement. "At least to elders. What is this?" Zuko said pointing at a large plate of mash. It was so very not something Draco wanted to describe, _it's mashed potato, very fancy, only the best_. Luckily Pansy and Millicent were more than happy to fill the empty air. Describing every food, every taste that lay before him and even some that weren't. After Zuko had a little bit of everything on his plate he tentatively picked up the knife and fork that had appeared next to him. He attempted to subtly copy Draco, and Draco attempted to subtly demonstrate, but good old Pansy, being the person that she was, wasn't letting this opportunity slide.

She gave a long and painfully detailed demonstration. Draco was afraid she was going to go into so much detail as to show him how to chew.

"What do you eat wiv, ya fingers?" Goyle gave in an ugly display of lack of pronunciation. Draco had never felt this before; the embarrassment of his friends, and who they were, rude, and basically seemingly unable to socialize normally.

"I eat with chop-sticks. Two long sticks tha-"

"Yeah, yeah we know what chop-sticks are." Crabbe interrupted, immediatly stuffing his face after finishing the sentence. Draco held the bridge of his nose in his fingers. Given what pansy had just done to describe a fork, it seemed only natural Zuko would assume he needed to describe chop-sticks. Time for damage control,

"I apologise on behalf of my friend," Draco smiled. "He's not the sharpest quill in the pot." Draco sensed the metaphor was lost on their guest, but thought the meaning got through, when Crabbe decided to stick up for himself.

"I'm not stupid."

"You have sauce on your chin." Draco pointed at Crabbe's face, who in turn picked up a napkin and spread the glob around a lot before finally wiping it off. _What a wonderful display of manners._ Draco thought sarcastically to himself. Zuko just ate quietly after that, speaking only to handle the inssessent questions from Pansy Millicent, and some other girls who decided to sit with Draco's group. Or with Zuko to be more precise. Draco felt a jealousy he had never felt before. Envy, yes, envious that everyone automatically loved Harry Potter, but never jealous, he never thought he'd lose his own friends. But now. He'd always found Pansy annoying, but now that she was so clearly interested in Zuko, Draco wondered what was wrong with him. _I wanted this to happen, I wanted Pansy to leave me alone _Draco reminded himself _I wanted this._ _No I wanted to get rid of Pansy, I didn't want for all the girls to leave._ Draco had long suspected that there were other girls who had crushes on him. I mean come on, apart from the rumours, it was obvious he was attractive and witty, and rich, and respected by everyone else in the house. _It's only because he's new, he's an interest to the girls, soon they'll realise he's not that special, and everything will be normal again. _ Draco tried to quell his maybe partially unwarranted jealousy. It wasn't working.

2,982 words here, plus last chapter makes 4,177 so only 45,823


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